Matches Malone
Patrick "Matches" Malone is a supporting character in the TV series Gotham. While he only appears briefly in two episodes, his role in the series is significant. In Gotham, Matches Malone is responsible for murdering Thomas and Martha Wayne, thereby making him responsible for Bruce Wayne's eventual transformation into the vigilante Batman. He is portrayed by Danny Schoch while in disguise in the Pilot episode and by Michael Bowen when he makes his unmasked appearance in the episode "This Ball of Mud and Meanness". History Malone was a contract killer based in Gotham City. He had spent most of his life committing murder, having made his first kill at 15 years old. He earned the nickname "Matches" after burning a man to death, although this was the only occasion where he had killed anyone in such a manner. Though a hardened killer, Malone did have some principles which he clung to; he refused to kill babies. When the events of the series begin, Malone had taken on a contract for the Lady who had been contacted by Professor Hugo Strange (operating under the alias "The Philosopher"). The job was to kill Thomas and Martha Wayne. Malone never asked why, he simply did the job and collected his pay afterwards. As far as the rest of Gotham knew, its two leading citizens had been gunned down in a random mugging. Following his parents' deaths, young Bruce Wayne obsessed over finding their killer. While Detective Jim Gordon and the GCPD did all they could to find the killer, their investigation ultimately turned up nothing but a false suspect. For almost two years, Bruce pursued the matter himself while also following a regime of unusual exercises to train himself to overcome fear and doubt. He trained not only his mind but also his body, learning how to fight under the tutelage of his butler and guardian Alfred Pennyworth. Bruce would eventually find out the identity of his parents' murderer by setting up an elaborate deception to make Silver St. Cloud, the niece of Theo Galavan, give up the information. After finally tracking Malone down, Bruce asked Selina Kyle to acquire a gun for him, his intention being to kill Malone to avenge his parents. Bruce finally met Malone face to face in a run-down apartment. At first, he pretended he wanted to hire Malone as a way of gauging what kind of man he was. He then raised the gun, told Malone who he was and why he had come. He asked Malone who had hired him to kill his parents, but Malone refused to tell. Malone then told Bruce to aim the gun and shoot him, stating that he was a monster and needed to die. Bruce was confused and asked why, to which Malone replied that he had grown tired of a life doing wrong and never being punished for it. Realising that Malone was just another victim of the cruel, cutthroat environment of Gotham City, Bruce chose not to kill Malone and took his leave. When he left the apartment, however, he left the gun on Malone's table. Shortly after Bruce stepped out of the apartment, Malone took the gun and shot himself. Trivia * In the Batman comics, Matches Malone is a disguise commonly used by Bruce Wayne when he goes on undercover investigations. * In the comics and most other DC media, Thomas and Martha Wayne are murdered by a man called Joe Chill. Category:TV Characters Category:Important Characters Category:TV Deaths Category:Important Deaths Category:Humans Category:Villains Category:Gotham Category:DC Characters Category:Batman Characters Category:Suicide Category:Death by Shooting Category:Killers